Comfort band for headgear



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R m m V m A TTORNEV WILL/S L. IMMEL W. L. IMMEL COMFORT BAND FOR HEADGEAR Filed Nov. 18, 1964 F IG. 2

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Oct. 25, 1966 In ----m United States Patent 3,280,406 COMFORT BAND FOR HEADGEAR Willis L. Immel, Warren, Mich., assignor to All Reduction Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 412,007 5 Claims. (Cl. 2181) This invention relates to a novel comfort band which can be easily assembled to and removed from headgear apparatus.

More specifically, this invention relates to a simple comfortable low cost wrap-around type comfort band which can easily be assembled to and removed from headgear apparatus for the comfort of the wearer of the apparatus but which when assembled is firmly in place.

Still more specifically, this invention relates to a wraparound type comfort band which is so constructed so as to be easily assembled to and removable from headgear apparatus, but which when assembled to said headgear apparatus is firmly in place without slippage and without being permanently attached to said apparatus. In the utilization of the wrap-around comfort band of this invention, the head of the wearer is not needed to hold the wraparound comfort band in place on the headgear apparatus. Rather, the design of the wrap-around comfort band when placed in position on the headgear apparatus is such as to require no outside agent to maintain said comfort band firmly but removably in place.

In this application head protecting structure shall refer to that structure which offers protection to the head or a portion thereof, to the face or a portion thereof, or to the head and face together. Furthermore, reference to a sweat band shall include a hand including a sweat absorbing material such as leather or a band including a sweat repelling material such as a vinyl material, both of which offer comfort to the part of the head which rests thereagainst.

Hat, helmet, cap, goggle, etc. structure for the protection of the head have become articles of common usage. As a matter of fact, in many types of work the utilization of head protecting structure, such as a hard hat, a welders helmet, goggles, or an electrical workers insulated helmet, for example, is mandatory. The most important features of the protecting structure are that it provide safety for the wearer and a comfortable fit. These two features actually interrelate, since a potential wearer of head protecting structure is more likely to wear if it is fits comfortably.

The suggestion has been made in the prior art to permanently attach comfort band structure to the inside of the head band of the headgear apparatus which supports the head protecting structure, see for example, the patent to Bowers, No. 2,710,965. However, there has been cont-inued investigation to try and perfect a comfort band for comfort and protection, which will not only provide comfort and safety for the head of the wearer at the time of initial use, but which will be easily assembled to headgear and easily replaceable upon being soiled and will still be firmly in position after replacement. Since the human head usually has thereon small amounts of soiling materials, such as dirt and oils, the comfort band which overlies the headgear apparatus will become soiled from continued use and from sweat especially if it includes sweat absorbing material, and will need to be replaced if the user is still to have the desire to use his headgear construct-ion and have maximum comfort. On the other hand, the comfort band must be firmly secured to the headgear apparatus to avoid slippage if it is to provide the secure fit for the head of the user within the headgear apparatus which is necessary for adequate protection, such protection being enhanced if the comfort hand does 3,Z3fi-,4% Patented 0st. 25, E966 not slip in its fit when the headgear apparatus is not in use.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a comfort band construction which by its very construction firmly but removably seats itself on the headgear apparatus without relying on the head of the wearer of the apparatus to hold said comfort band construction in place.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a comfort band construction for use with headgear apparatus which provides comfort for the head of the wearer, ease of assembly upon first attachment of the comfort band construction upon the headgear apparatus, ease of replacement upon soiling of the sweat band facility, and firm fitting upon the headgear apparatus for maximum safety.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon examination of the following more detailed description.

This invention generally consists of a wrap-around type comfort band comprised of a sweat band, which is in turn preferably comprised of a foam band with backing material, and two stiffening bands attached, as by sewing, to the sweat hand, one along each longitudinal edge of the construction, so that except for the sewing margin, the width of the stiffen-ing ban-d is preferably substantially outward of the edge of the sweat band. During the attaching operation, the sweat band is stretched and thus, having been placed under tension, a curved or arced comfort bandassembly results. The curved configuration of the comfort band aids in matching the comfort band to the curvature of the headgear apparatus strap, to which it is attached Without the wrinkling or puckering that would occur without such curvature or arcing.

Generally speaking, the comfort band is assembled to the headgear apparatus which supports head protecting structure by placing the foam side of the sweat band, which makes up with the stiffening bands the comfort hand, against the inner surface of the head retaining strap of the headgear apparatus and then folding the stiffening hands over the edges of the strap to lie preferably one on top of the other against the outer surface of the strap. The stiffening bands, because of their relative stiffness as compared to the sweat band constituents, in conjunction with the curvature of the comfort band and strap, and the friction of the foam against the strap, hold the comfort band firmly in place.

The invention will now be further described in further detail in connection with the drawings,

FIGURE 1 shows an end view of the comfort band;

FIGURE 2 shows the comfort band shown in FIG- URE 1 with the backing on the foam surface of the sweat band facing the viewer;

FIGURE 3 shows the comfort band wrapped around a headgear apparatus head retaining strap; and

FIGURE 4 shows the comfort band wrapped around the headgear apparatus head retaining strap from a view showing the curvature of the comfort band.

In FIGURE 1, the comfort hand 1, for use with a headgear apparatus head retaining strap 2 (shown in FIGURES 3 and 4), is comprised of a sweat band 20 and two stiffening bands 5 and 6. The sweat band 20 consists of a band 3, which provides a soft backing head receiving covering thereon, to be discussed hereinbelow, for the comfort of the wearer and which lies against the strap 2 in a fixed position, also to be dis cussed hereinbelow. The band 3 may be made of any desired substance for the friction fit and comfort of the wearer, for example, a polyurethane foam. As shown in FIGURE 2, the band 3 is preferably backed by a covering 7, for the comfort of the wearer of the head protecting structure, composed of, for example, a leather (sweat absorbing) or vinyl (sweat repelling) material. The covering 7 may be'of a separate material, may be sprayed onto the band 3 or may be of the same material as the band 3, if desired. The covering 7 lies against the head of the wearer, for his comfort, when the comfort band is located on the head receiving strap 2. Attached as by sewing 4, for example, to the band 3 and covering 7, which together preferably make up the sweat band 20 of the comfort band, are stiffening bands and 6. The stiffening bands are composed of material of a relatively stiff construction, for example, polyethylene. The stiffening bands 5 and 6 are sewn to the sweat band 29 on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the sweat band, one along each longitudinal edge thereof, so that the width of the stiffening band extends outwardly beyond the edge of the band 3 and covering 7, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. A portion of the band and covering may overlap with each of the stiffening bands, as shown at 8 in FIGURE 2.

During the attaching of the stiffening bands 5 and 6 to the sweat band 20, the sweat band is stretched and thus placed under tension resulting in a curved or arced sweat band with stiffening bands attached. After the stiffening bands are attached, with the concurrent arcing of the sweat band, the arced or curved comfort band that results will curve in such a manner as to substantially match the curvature of the headgear apparatus head receiving strap 2, as shown for example in FIGURE 4, without the wrinkling or puckering of the comfort band that otherwise m-aterializes.

The completed comfort band is assembled to the headgear apparatus head receiving strap in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. As shown in FIGURE 3, the band 3 of the sweat band 20 predominantly is placed against the inner surface 9, that is, the head receiving surface of the strap 2. The stiffening bands 5 and 6 fold back over and bear against the opposite side of the strap 2 to the side of the strap that the preponderance of the sweat band 20 lies positioned against. Said stiffening bands preferably lie one on top of the other adjacent to the outer surface of the strap. Either stiffening band may overlie the other or they may simply lie against the strap 2 in adjacent positions.

It should be emphasized that the stiffening bands 5 and 6 when placed in the position shown in FIGURE 3, on a curved strap, such as shown in FIGURE 4, are held in such position as a result of the curvature of the strap. Furthermore, relative stiffness of the stiffening bands 5 and 6, the curvature of the comfort band construction, and the friction fit of the band 3 (in the case of polyurethane foam, for example) against the strap 2 all serve to maintain the comfort band in a firm but removable position on the strap. The overlapping of the stiffening bands 5 and 6 as shown in FIGURE 3 lends extra rigidity to the positioning of the comfort band on the strap 2.

The removable positioning of the comfort band on the head retaining strap as described in this disclosure is accomplished without using the pressure of the head or face of the user to maintain such structure in position. This is an important feature of the invention since it enables one to lay the head protecting structure aside or in storage without affecting the position of the comfort band 1 on the strap 2.

The structure described above is a simple and low cost comfort band which may be easily initially attached to head protecting structure and thereafter removably positioned on said head protecting structure. Permanent fastening means attaching the comfort band to the head protecting structure are dispensed with, allowing for the changing of the comfort band upon soiling or becoming damaged, as previously discussed. Bulky constructions subject to damage, misuse and faulty operation, such as snap fastening arrangements are also improved upon by the simple construction described in detail hereinbefore.

Obviously, the particular dimensions of the comfort band will vary according to the type head protecting construction for which it is intended.

Applicant does not intend that his invention shall be limited by any of the details of the construction discussed above, but rather intends that his invention be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An arced comfort band in combination with head protecting apparatus including an arced head retaining strap, said comfort band comprising a sweat band having a longitudinal axis, said sweat band including foam material and a substantially elastic backing material overlying said foam material for contact with the head of a user of the head protecting apparatus stiffening bands composed of a relatively rigid plastic material, said stiffening bands attached to said sweat band while said sweat band is under tension so as to are said sweat band and spaced on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis, said arced comfort band removably folded about said arced head retaining strap of said head protecting apparatus, said sweat band predominantly lying on one side of said strap with said foam material bearing against said one side of said strap and said backing material disposed away from said strap and said stiffening bands bearing on the opposite side of said strap.

2. A comfort band as claimed in claim 1, the foam material being of polyurethane.

3. A comfort band as described in claim 1, the backing material being of a vinyl material.

4. A comfort band as claimed in claim 1, the stiffening bands bearing in adjacent positions on opposite sides of said strap.

5. A comfort band as described in claim 1, the stiffening bands being of polyethylene.

References Cited by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,575,251 3/1926 Cairus 2--5 2,411,831 11/1946 Lehmberg et a1. 2-181 2,628,361 2/1953 Heyck 2-181 2,696,618 12/1954 Hoffman et al. 2--175 3,087,165 4/1963 Cairus 2-3 FOREIGN PATENTS 589,985 1/ 1960 Canada.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ARCED COMFORT BAND IN COMBINATION WITH HEAD PROTECTING APPARATUS INCLUDING AN ARCED HEAD RETAINING STRAP, SAID COMFORT BAND COMPRISING A SWEAT BAND HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID SWEAT BAND INCLUDING FOAM MATERIAL AND A SUBSTANTIALLY ELASTIC BACKING MATERIAL OVERLYING SAID FOAM MATERIAL FOR CONTACT WITH THE HEAD OF A USER OF THE HEAD PROTECTING APPARATUS STIFFENING BANDS COMPOSED OF A RELATIVELY RIGID PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID STIFFENING BANDS ATTACHED TO SAID SWEAT BAND WHILE SAID SWEAT BAND IS UNDER TENSION SO AS TO ARC SAID SWEAT BAND AND SPACED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID ARCED COMFORT BAND REMOVABLY FOLDED ABOUT SAID ARCED HEAD RETAINING STRAP OF SAID HEAD PROTECTING APPARATUS, SAID SWEAT BAND PREDOMINANTLY LYING ON ONE SIDE OF SAID STRAP WITH SAID FOAM MATERIAL BEARING AGAINST SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID STRAP AND SAID BACKING MATERIAL DISPOSED AWAY FROM SAID STRAP AND SAID STIFFENING BANDS BEARING ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID STRAP. 